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| Home > Publications database > IEK-3 Report 2013. Durable Electrochemical Process Engineering |
| Book | FZJ-2013-04121 |
2013
Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Zentralbibliothek, Verlag
Jülich
ISBN: 978-3-89336-893-8
Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/5388
Abstract: Successful proof of low degradation rates and lifetimes meeting market introduction requirements were the major achievements of our long-standing fuel cell research within the last two years. In the context of the transformation of the German energy sector, water electrolysis for energy storage was reintroduced into the research portfolio. A strong group of 15 staff is established with the perspective of expansion to over 20 staff in the next two years. The focus is set on polymer membrane electrolysis and modeling of alkaline electrolyzers. Battery research was included in the portfolio through systems analysis as a first step and is now being extended to in operando visualization and analytics of passive layers on lithium ion battery materials. The systems analysis group was geared toward hydrogen infrastructure investigations in view of increasing demand for energy storage of renewable energy. On the other hand, the carbon capture activities which were planned for further expansion were reduced in the wake of the political decision not to pass the envisaged law for carbon dioxide storage and the following sobering appreciation by industry.Nonetheless, a very successful international conference, the 3$^{rd}$ CEPE, was held on the subject with substantial involvement and support from the IEK-3. Besides the conference proceedings a comprehensive book was edited in summer 2011, just before the aforementioned lack of clarity for carbon dioxide storage gave rise to let the activity taper off to the level of observation. Membrane separation and carbon capture for carbon dioxide reuse are still vital research objects.These major changes in the portfolio caused a name change from Institute for Fuel Cells to Institute for Electrochemical Process Engineering. It covers the interdisciplinary work from fundamental electrochemistry and modeling, via electrode, membrane-electrode-assembly and stack design, analytics and manufacture up to process engineering of subsystems and systems, including systems analysis for the focus areas of the institute. Select notable results are the life time proof of an SOFC stack over 53,000 hours with a degradation of about 0.8%/1000 hours in realistic operating conditions. A further stack has already achieved 23,000 hours of operation exhibiting a degradation of only 0.2%/1000 hours, thanks to a new coating of the metal interconnects. In addition a 20 kW system based on four stacks was successfully tested. The autothermal reforming of kerosene was proven with a stable conversion rate of 99.997 % over 5000 hours. An integrated system comprising two HT-PEFC stacks and a fuel processing unit scored an electrical power of 5.6 kW in a test with gas-to-liquid kerosene. Moreover, a 2 kW direct methanol fuel cell system powering a forklift was dynamically operated in a test bed for 20,000 hours under a real driving profile gathered from the same type of battery forklift operated in a typical warehouse. The test was terminated after the system reached 20,000 hours, which is the nominal lifetime of the forklift itself. For these results the 'f-cell Award Innovation Price Fuel Cell' was granted. I would like to express my gratitude to all of my colleagues at IEK-3 for their involvement, dedication and their good ideas. I would also like to thank the BMBF for the continuous and profound funding and the cooperation partners in industry and other research organizations for the confidence in our institute.
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